- A Limited Edition (LE) is a product advertised to be limited to a relatively small number of copies.
- In John 14, Jesus talks about a limited-edition gift He’s given to us. Let’s dig in:
“I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” – John 14:27 (NLT)
- God has promised us the gift of peace of mind. In fact, one of God’s names is Jehovah Shalom, which means, “I am the God of peace.”
- Finding peace is one of our deepest needs. God has promised peace of mind, so if you don’t have it, you should ask why.
In John 13, Jesus and His disciples had the last supper and Judas left to go and make arrangements to betray Jesus (John 13:27-30).
So from John 13 – John 17, Jesus was sharing His parting words; like the final words of someone about to die. And Jesus is saying that I leave you with my last gift, my best, my legacy – peace.
- He made sure to clarify this peace gift is not the kind the world gives; it is a limited-edition for His chosen. There is a big difference.
- You see, the world has peace societies, treaties, and peace plans, but arms for war at the same time.
- Mankind conspired and killed the Prince of Peace (Acts 4:27) and the world will know no peace until He comes to reign (Psalm 2; 1 Thes 5:3; 1 Cor 15:24-28).
Let’s look at three things that may be robbing us of our limited-edition gift:
#1. We lose our peace when circumstances are uncontrollable:
- Much of life is beyond our control. You can get stuck in gridlocked traffic and miss an important event.
- Someone loses their job unexpectedly and wonders how they will provide for themselves and their family. A couple keeps trying desperately—but unsuccessfully—to have a baby. Or we lose a loved one; etc.
- When these things—big or small—happen, we get frustrated and lose our peace of mind.
#2. We lose our peace when people are unchangeable:
- The quickest way to lose your cool is to try to change somebody. Most people are just not going to change in the ways you want them to.
- Jim Rohn said, “I used to say I’m going to change them even if it kills me… well I almost died!”
- But even when we know it won’t work, we still try to do it! And this keeps us from being peaceful.
#3. We lose our peace when problems are unexplainable:
- If you’ve been around for a while, you’ll get to know life isn’t fair.
- Things don’t always turn out right or how we expect them to (Ecclesiastes speaks a lot on this).
- And when we don’t know why, we get anxious, nervous, and stressed.
Accepting God’s gift of peace doesn’t mean your life will be problem-free. It means that even when your world seems to be falling apart, you will be able to think clearly and sleep peacefully.
How do we get God’s peace in our life? (Philippians 4:4-7)
God’s peace is not something you work for or beg for. It’s a gift you receive by faith.
Jesus promised, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT).
- Let’s turn to God in prayer. Let’s tell Him what’s on our minds. Let’s focus on His goodness.
- Let’s rejoice and give Him thanks! Let’s stay in His word and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.
- And His peace that passes understanding will fill our hearts and minds. Heyy… you’re blessed!
A few thoughts for personal reflection:
- What uncontrollable circumstances have stolen your peace lately?
- How does God use problems to draw you closer to Him and help you grow spiritually?
- How does your life change when you live with God’s peace?
Today's post was adapted from a teaching by Ps Rick Warren.
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